How to Set up a Remote Team: A Comprehensive Guide [2025]

If you’re wondering how to set up a remote team, the first step is defining your goals and structuring your team accordingly. Remote teams are becoming increasingly common as businesses recognize the advantages of tapping into a global talent pool. By establishing clear objectives, assigning roles, and creating a culture of trust, you can quickly put your remote team on the path to success.

With approximately 28% of employees working remotely worldwide, it's essential to have a clear structure to avoid mismanagement.

By the end of this article, you will be able to:

1. Define your team goals

2. Identify the right tools and technology

3. Create a recruitment protocol

4. Establish great communication channels

5. Nurture a collaborative and productive team

Let's begin with the first step of how to manage a remote team.

Define Your Team's Goal and Structure

A remote work environment demands a concrete structure, which is the backbone of any remote team. Start by considering your company’s overarching mission. What is the team's primary objective? Break this mission into smaller, actionable goals that can be communicated. For instance, if the aim is to increase product launches, one goal could be to streamline the development process, while another might focus on improving cross-department communication.

The next step involves creating measurable outcomes for each goal. A goal with tangible results is bound to fail or create more questions without answers. A simplified example could be setting a target to reduce development cycle time by 20% or to increase project completion rates by 10%. Set a number, time frame, and how you will accomplish these goals. Doing so will avoid miscommunication, which can often happen amongst remote employees.

Outline how each team member’s role contributes to achieving these goals. Hold team discussions to ensure everyone understands their responsibilities and how their work ties into the larger picture. This clarity prevents confusion and helps foster a sense of purpose.

Finally, embed a culture of trust, transparency, and communication. Share regular updates on progress, encourage open dialogue about challenges, and be flexible with how goals are approached.

But remember, all of this is fluff if you don't follow and commit to these steps.

Key Points to Remember:

• Clearly define team roles and responsibilities.

• Set measurable KPIs and align them with project goals.

• Establish a culture of trust, transparency, and open communication.

Secure the Right Tools and Technology

Tools and technology integration could be considered the most critical step when setting up remote workers for success. We recommend listing the essentials first, such as: Microsoft Teams, Asana, Google Drive/Dropbox. Once the framework technology has been selected, it's time to establish the niche tools individual team members require to be productive. Ideally, base it on user-friendliness and security - remote teams have higher cybersecurity risks.

When making your selection, prioritize tools that integrate well with each other. This reduces the time and effort spent switching between platforms and ensures a seamless workflow. Consider the needs of your team—tools should be intuitive enough for everyone to use effectively, regardless of their technical expertise.

Finally, ensure your chosen technology offers reliable support. This could mean access to a responsive customer service team, detailed documentation, or community forums. By securing the right tools and technology, your team will be equipped to work productively and securely.

Recruit and Onboard Top Remote Talent

This is an opportunity that should not be wasted. Remote companies have a chance to ignore global barriers and hire employees across the world, opening doors to skilled employees. But conversely, remote team management becomes even more critical and the hiring process significantly more challenging.

When recruiting, explore multiple platforms such as LinkedIn, Upwork, and industry-specific job boards. Leverage your professional network and consider referrals to find qualified candidates. During the interview process, assess not only technical skills but also traits essential for remote work—such as self-motivation, time management, and clear communication.

Once you’ve hired the right talent, a structured onboarding process is essential. Provide a detailed onboarding checklist covering:

• Access to necessary tools and platforms.

• Introduction to team members and company culture.

• Clear guidance on project expectations and performance metrics.

Schedule regular check-ins during the first few weeks to answer questions and offer support. A smooth onboarding experience helps new team members feel confident, connected, and prepared to contribute from day one.

This particular strategy is commonly used amongst businesses who use remote solutions such as a virtual office.

Clear and Effective Communication Guidelines

Managing an entire team remotely is no easy task, and miscommunication is common. We recommend clearly outlining which tools should be used for what form of communication.

Here are some examples:

• Microsoft Teams Chat – Use for quick work-related questions, informal team updates, and casual conversations.

• Email – Reserve for formal communication, project follow-ups, and sharing critical information.

• Slack – Ideal for team-wide announcements, real-time problem-solving, and quick status updates.

• Project Management Tools (e.g., Asana, Trello) – Use for task assignments, tracking progress, and documenting deadlines.

Encourage team members to be mindful of tone and response expectations for each platform. For instance, chat tools can handle faster, more casual conversations, while email should be used for more structured communication.

Collaborative and Productive Remote Team Members

Everyone talks about building team culture as a method for a productive and collaborative workforce, but no one says how. It takes more than a few virtual team-building activities or 'no team meetings on Monday' for an energised group of professionals.

Bring everyone together in-person.

Online games and virtual happy hours won't cut it. Remote employees already have an above average work life balance, and can comfortably manage their personal life by cutting out commute times. Nothing can replicate in-person interactions - it creates a connection that remote teams often lack. This should be a non-negotiable within your protocol of managing remote teams.

We also recommend a steady flow of feedback from your employees, by setting up regular performance reviews and anonymous feedback channels. Employees might also be more comfortable to share how they feel to other co-workers in person, rather than a chat tool like Microsoft Teams, where there is plenty of room for misinterpretation.

Leadership plays a crucial role in driving productivity and morale. Set a positive tone by leading with transparency and consistency. Be available to answer questions, provide support, and regularly update the team's progress toward goals.

Actionable Steps:

• Organise regular virtual team-building activities.

• Create a structured recognition program to highlight achievements.

• Establish a feedback loop through performance reviews and anonymous surveys.

• Encourage leadership transparency and availability.

Final Actions on Setting Up a Remote Team

Setting up a remote team successfully requires clear goals, the right tools, effective communication, and a strong team culture. By defining objectives, assigning roles, and measuring progress through KPIs, you give your team a clear sense of direction. Equipping your team with reliable communication platforms and project management tools ensures smooth collaboration, while a structured onboarding process helps new hires settle in quickly.

Building a cohesive and motivated team also means fostering trust, encouraging feedback, and recognizing achievements. When team members feel supported and connected, they are more likely to stay engaged and perform at their best.

Start implementing these strategies today to build a high-performing remote team. Download our policy guide on how to set up a hybrid team.